Editor-in-chief of "Islamazeri.com" receives CER in Azerbaijan

Ramin Bairamov, the editor-in-chief of the website "Islamazeri.com" is at large in Azerbaijan. On August 17, the travel session of the Surakhan District Court of Baku, which was held at the institution of punishment No. 16 of the Penitentiary Service of Azerbaijan, considered the journalist's appeal for conditional early relief (CER) because of serving half of his term. The court granted the petition of the journalist.

On March 7, the Apsheron District Court sentenced Bairamov to 1.5 years in prison on charges of illegal acquisition and possession of drugs and weapons.

In the evening on August 17, Ramin Bairamov went out of the gate of the colony, where he was welcomed by his relatives, friends, colleagues, and a group of believers. The journalist said he was happy to be back at large, although he had spent a year in prison for no reason. He noted that the prison failed to break his will and affect his religious beliefs. Bairamov said that he would continue his journalistic activities, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports.

Emin Cuseinov, Director of the Institute for Reporters' Freedom and Safety (IRFS), has positively assessed Bairamov's release from prison and noted that at least seven journalists continue to be imprisoned in Azerbaijan. "We believe that they are being persecuted for their professional activities, and call on the authorities to release them," said Cuseinov.